Cosmetic container



Aug. 15, 1967 R GE|SEL 3,335,853

COSMETIC CONTAINER Filed May 19, 1965 INVENTOR Poamrd far/54 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,335,853 COSMETIC CONTAINER Robert C. Geisel, Windsor, Conn., assignor to The International Silver Company, Meriden, Conn., a corporalion of Connecticut Filed May 19, 1965, Ser. No. 456,983 3 Claims. (Cl. 206-56) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a propel-repel lipstick-container construction in which a straight-slotted inner tubular member is part of the cam mechanism for propelling a lipstick carrier. A lateral offset at the upper end of the straight slot is used to locate the fully propelled carrier position. A friction ridge on the bore of the tubular member lightly resiliently loads the carrier throughout its movement, but this ridge is so angularly related to a locally stiff part of the carrier wall that, upon rotation to utilize the lateral offset, a light detent-retaining action is achieved, to hold the propelled position.

My invention relates to an improved lipstick or the like container construction of the type wherein relative rotation of two tubular elements produces propel-repel action in a carrier member.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved construction of the character indicated featuring a first controlled friction in the propel-repel action and, additionally, a second and more positive controlled frictional retention of the parts against relative movement for one of the extremes of movement of the carrier member.

Other objects and various further features of novelty and invention will be pointed out or will occur to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings, which show, for illustrative purposes only, a preferred form of the invention:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged view in elevation of a container embodying features of the invention and showing parts broken away and in longitudinal section to reveal internal details;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are sectional views in the planes 22 and 3-3 of FIG. 1 and FIG. 4 is a plan view of the carrier member of FIG. 1.

Briefly stated, the invention contemplates a lipstick container construction of the type wherein two relatively rotatable tubular members are provided with cooperating cams which engage the follower of a carrier member so as to longitudinally propel or repel the same for dispensing or retracting lipstick mounted on the carrier member. According to the invention, a first yielding frictional or interference-fit engagement is promoted between the inner wall of the inner tubular member and outer wall of the carrier member in one extreme limit of the displacement of the carrier member, and a second yielding frictional or interference-fit engagement is promoted between the inner wall of the inner tubular member and the outer wall of the carrier member in essentially all other positions of the carrier member. In the form described, the first of these friction engagements is achieved near the fully retracted position and is characterized by greater frictional engagement so as to avoid inadvertent dislocation of the carrier member from its retracted position, as in the presence of vibration during its initial loaded shipment or during storage in a handbag or the like; the frictional extent of the second such engagement is such as to provide improved lightly resistant support for improved carrier pilot ing during carrier actuation. As a further feature, the same parts additionally coact with light detent action to retain 3,335,853 Patented Aug. 15, 1967 the carrier in upwardly propelled position, as when shipped to the cosmetic house which is to perform the lipstickloading operation.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is shown in application to a lipstick container comprising inner and outer tubular members 10 and 11 which overlap for substantially their entire length and which include cam elements such as the spiral groove 12 formed on the inner wall of the outer tubular member 11 and the straight longitudinal slot 13 formed along substantially the entire length of the inner tubular member 10. For actuating purposes, the inner tubular member 10 may be extended by an integral knob or fingerpiece 14 of configuration suited to the aesthetic appearance of the overall container. In the form shown, the fingerpiece or knob is provided with a recess or step 15 against which a closure cap (suggested by fragmentary phantom outline 16) may be fitted when the open end 17 of the container is to be closed. One or more friction ridges or elements 18 may be provided on the knob 14 adjacent the step 15 for engagement with the inner surface of the closure cap to retain the same in place when the container is closed.

A lipstick or the like (not shown) is frictionally received within the bore of a carrier member 19, which is longitudinally slidable within the bore of the inner tubular member 10. The carrier member 19 includes a cam follower 20 projecting radially outwardly into cooperating engagement with both the straight slot 13 on the inner tubular member and the spiral cam 12 on the outer tubular member 11. If desired, lateral offset portions or legs 21-22 may be provided at the longitudinal limits of the cam structure so as to allow the cam follower 20 to, in effect, lock against propulsion action for each of the two extremes of cam-propelled movement. In the case of the offset 22, the location of cam follower 20 at this point will assure convenient use of the lipstick without any tendency of the propulsion mechanism to retract during use. In like manner, reception of the cam follower 20 in the offset 21 for the retracted position will assure against longitudinal movement of the carrier member 19 in the absence of rotary movement of the tubular members.

The lipstick shown happens to involve molded-plastic parts and in spite of present refinements in precision-molding it is found that small size variations occur to an extent that the feel of propel-repel action will vary as between containers which are supposedly duplicates of each other. If adequate clearances are allowed to permit easy action for all assemblies, then certain of these will be too easy, or the carrier will not align the lipstick as uniformly as desired. Furthermore, customers for such containers rightly insist upon a uniform, lightly resistant, precision feel to the propulsion action, and of course, from the manufacturing standpoint, it is desired to produce this uniform feel within normal manufacturing tolerances.

To achieve this end, I provide plural angularly spaced elongated friction ribs or elements 24-25, integrally formed as chordal sections of the inner wall or bore of the inner tubular member 10. These ribs are shown extending the full effective length of travel of carrier member 19 and are in slight interference-fit relation with carrier member 19. The angular locations of friction elements 24-25 are preferably symmetrical with respect to the plane defined by the container axis and by cam follower 20, and these locations preferably coincide with locations of two of the carrier-wall reinforcement ribs 26 (see FIG. 4), thus assuring maximum reinforcement of the interference-fit relation during piloted movement of the carrier member along friction elements 24-25.

In spite of the controlled friction achieved by the described interference-fit relation, I prefer to employ more positive friction action to secure the carrier in its fully retracted position. Such more positive action may be achieved by the mechanism described in Clark Patent 3,083,822. It sufiices here to identify further elongated friction elements 27 at angular spaced locations interlaced with the locations of friction elements 24-25. The further friction elements 27 are shown as a second plurality which is symmetrically disposed with respect to the axial plane through cam follower 20. Elements 27 are preferably localized to the down or retracted end of carrier movement, and they preferably have greater effective interference-fit relation with the carrier member than is developed by carrier engagement of elements 24- 25 alone. Also, it will be noted that elements 27 are angularly positioned between carrier reinforcements so that the resulting resilient yielding of the carrier wall can be relied upon for enhanced frictional retention of the retracted position.

As shown in said Clark patent, the inner wall of the carrier member 19 may be provided with spaced local elongated reinforcement ridges 26, symmetrically disposed with respect to the axial plane through the cam follower 20. Preferably, one or two of these ridges 26 are angularly located to substantially coincide with the angular location of one or both of friction members 24- 25, so that with the cam follower 20 in one of the slot legs 21-22 there will be an offsetting or misalignment of the ridge 26 with respect to its adjacent friction member 24-25, thus defining a light detent action to retain follower 20 in such slot leg.

It will be appreciated that I have described an improved lipstick construction which, without the need of any further parts, nevertheless offers the very desirable results of not only providing uniform feel regardless of manufacturing tolerance variations but also retaining the carrier cup in one of its extreme positions so as to prevent inadvertent displacement during shipment.

While I have described the invention in detail for the preferred form shown, it will be understood that modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. A lipstick or the like container, comprising two relatively rotatable tubular members, one within the other and open at one longitudinal end, a cylindrical carrier member longitudinally slid-able within the inner tubular member and including a radially outwardly projecting cam follower, propel-repel cam means on each of said tubular members and coacting with said cam follower to longitudinally displace said carrier member upon relative rotation of said tubular members, the cam means on the inner tubular member being a straight longitudinal slot having at its upwardly propelled end a short circumferentially directed slot leg for holding said cam follower in the upwardly propelled position, an elongated friction element carried on the inner surface of said inner tubular member and projecting radially inwardly into frictional interference-fit relation with said carrier member, said friction element being elongated for the full effective extent of carrier propulsion, and an elongated reinforcement rib on the inner Wall surface of said carrier member at substantially the angular location of said friction element during the propulsion phase of carrier member but being misaligned to an offset position with respect to said friction element when said earn follower is in said slot leg, whereby said friction element serves as a friction detent to retain the upward or outwardly propelled position of said carrier member.

2. A container according to claim 1, in which said elongated friction element is one of a plurality of angularly spaced elements, said friction elements being symmetrically positioned With respect to the longitudinal plane defined by the container axis and by said straight longitudinal slot.

3. A container according to claim 2, in which said elongated reinforcement rib is one of a plurality of angularly spaced ribs, said ribs being symmetrically positioned with respect to the longitudinal plane defined by the container axis and by said cam follower.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1957 Abbotts 206-56 4/1963 Clark 206-56 

1. A LIPSTICK OR THE LIKE CONTAINER, COMPRISING TWO RELATIVELY ROTATABLE TUBULAR MEMBERS, ONE WITHIN THE OTHER AND OPEN AT ONE LONGITUDINAL END, A CYLINDRICAL CARRIER MEMBER LONGITUDINALLY SLIDABLE WITHIN THE INNER TUBULAR MEMBER AND INCLUDING A RADIALLY OUTWARDLY PROJECTING CAM FOLLOWER, PROPEL-REPEL CAM MEANS ON EACH OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBERS AND COACTING WITH SAID CAM FOLLOWER TO LONGITUDINALLY DISPLACE SAID CARRIER MEMBER UPON RELATIVE ROTATION OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBERS, THE CAM MEANS ON THE INNER TUBULAR MEMBER BEING A STRAIGHT LONGITUDINAL SLOT HAVING AT ITS UPWARDLY PROPELLED END A SHORT CIRCUMFERENTIALLY DIRECTED SLOT LEG FOR HOLDING SAID CAM FOLLOWER IN THE UPWARDLY PROPELLED POSITION, AN ELONGATED FRICTION ELEMENT CARRIED ON THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID INNER TUBULAR MEMBER AND PROJECTING RADIALLY INWARDLY INTO FRICTIONAL INTERFERENCE-FIT RELATION WITH SAID CARRIED MEMBER, SAID FRICTION ELEMENT BEING ELONGATED FOR THE FULL EFFECTIVE EXTENT OF CARRIER PROPULSION, AND AN ELONGATED REINFORCEMENT RIB ON THE INNER WALL SURFACE OF SAID CARRIER MEM- 